SK: So what was the relationship like with Kirk?
DJK: Kirk was an amazing man. It was weird, because we had this perception (out there) that we hated each other and were enemies. I never wanted to do anything more than make that man happy. I wanted to be a coach’s player — whether you believe it or not, every coach has a group of guys that he loves and he favors. And unfortunately, I wasn’t in that group. He’s in charge, and his rules are his rules. And if you don’t abide by them, which I didn’t sometimes, you will find yourself sitting out two quarters, a game, on the bench, (no access to) media, whatever it might be. Unfortunately, I’m the only one to blame for those things.
SK: What did you do?
DJK: Late for meetings, wearing sunglasses in an interview, too revealing in your interviews …
SK: Wait. You were actually punished for being ‘too revealing?’
DJK: I had a hard time understanding where it was too much. What was ‘too revealing.’ As a result, I was muzzled … I didn’t behave, and my approach wasn’t the ‘Iowa Way.’ I think after two years of Iowa football, I did invest in it, I wanted to be a part of it. At some point, I wanted to be a huge part of it. I think a some point, I was a huge part of it. And I tarnished all that.
SK: Do you think your records will stand? Some places, they might just excise you from the books altogether.
DJK: I heard that the highlights of me and (Adam Robinson, who’s also out of the program) were deleted out of the highlight film. Is that true?
SK: But they can’t change what you accomplished. You guys did those things.
DJK: You can take my name out. Delete them. Whoever was below me — put Kevin Kasper there. I’m not worried about it. I’m certainly not worried about records — that’s the last thing (on my mind). I’m more concerned about my affiliation with the university than my records.
SK: Have you tried to go back to the coaching staff, face-to-face?
DJK: I’m afraid to try, almost. Because then I would have (to deal with) the fear of facing denial, or (being) denied access.
SK: Have you written or called Ferentz?
DJK: I have. I’ve sent letters, and things like that.
SK: Has he returned them?
DJK: Never.
SK: When’s the last time you’ve spoken to Kirk?
DJK: The Sunday following the Minnesota game. He said, ‘Good job, Derrell.’ That’s the last thing he ever said to me.
SK: He didn’t tell you that you’d been kicked off the team after your arrest?
DJK: I found out through the media.
SK: Didn’t anyone from the staff tell you?
DJK: No one. Zero. If you don’t know anything else about me, you would know that I’m not a (liar). I’m probably the most honest person you’ll ever encounter. I wouldn’t lie to you. Zero. None. I will say this: I contacted my position coach and said, ‘What’s going on, do you need me to come in and get my things?’ And he said, ‘No, you’re all good.’ And that was it.
SK: What about other teammates? Coaches?
DJK: There are people in different positions in the program that have been right there as much as they could have been, as much as they can be.
SK: Will they be in trouble if you say who they are?
DJK: Yeah, they’ll be in trouble.
